The Huntress
by X-Shadow.of.Darkness-X
Summary: Herein is documented the story of Antonia Messina, and her journey from street urchin to Ezio Auditore's most feared and capable apprentice. Under Ezio's guidance, Antonia must carve out a new path for herself, one filled with lies, deceit and bloodshed.


**The Huntress**

**Summary:**** Herein is documented the story of Antonia Messina, and her journey from street urchin to Ezio Auditore's most feared and capable apprentice. Under Ezio's guidance, Antonia must carve out a new path for herself, one filled with lies, deceit and bloodshed.**

**~Chapter One – Ezio Auditore, At Your Service~**

Antonia Messina's feet pounded the cobbled stone as she ran, the florins she had lifted from the merchant jangling noisily in her pocket as she ran. She shoved her way through the crowds as the merchant shouted after her.

"Thief! Stop!"

She paid him no mind, but carried on running, one hand resting on the hilt of the knife she kept in the waistband of her trousers. Her hair flowed out behind her like a trail of golden fire, matted and dirty from it not having been washed properly for two years. She could hear footsteps chasing after her, but she paid them no mind. Pushing roughly past a man in long, white, hooded robes, she turned and bolted down a side alley, hoping her pursuers wouldn't follow her.

She was wrong.

She flew through the winding streets that had been her home for the past two years, her feet leading her where they would. The pounding footsteps were getting closer. Turning a corner, she pulled her knife out of her trousers and waited.

A guard ran past her hiding place. Stepping out, she grabbed him around the neck, plunging the knife into his chest as she did so. The man let out a cry of surprise before gurgling and falling to the ground.

The other guards pulled up short, drawing their swords as they did so. She spun around, holding her knife ready, assessing her pursuers.

There were four of them, each carrying falchions, and clad in the attire of the city guards. They advanced slowly, calculatingly.

Antonia glanced at the knife in her hand, then at the guards' falchions. There was no way she would be able to fight all of them off with just a knife. Not without serious injury, anyway. She glanced down at the guard she had already killed. His sword was already half-drawn. If she could just create a distraction...

Lifting her knife, she hurled it at the nearest guard, who threw his sword up awkwardly in an attempt to deflect it, but he was too slow. The knife buried itself in the man's chest and he fell backward, blood pouring from the would and his mouth. Antonia took the opportunity to spin round and draw the dead guard's sword, holding it up awkwardly in front of her, the weight distribution very different to that of her knife.

The guards rushed forward, swinging their swords. Antonia ducked under the swing, stabbing the falchion up into the abdomen of the nearest guard, who let out a cry of pain before crumpling to the ground. Standing again, she swung the sword around, bringing it down toward another guard, who raised the flat of his own blade to block the blow, the sudden loss of momentum jarring her arm. The guard sneered and grabbed her arm, pulling her off-balance. Antonia threw out her arm to catch herself, but the guard lashed out with his sword, leaving a long gash down her arm. She gave a cry of pain as blood began to pour from the wound. The guard stalked over and kicked her legs from under her, sending her crashing to the ground.

She looked up as the guards advancing, twirling their swords lazily, clearly under the impression that they had won this fight. Antonia tried to raise the sword, but one of the remaining guards kicked it away, smiling menacingly down at her.

"Thought you'd get away with your thieving, did you?" Antonia didn't answer. "Well, we know just what to do with thieving urchins like you."

He raised his sword. And a bolt punched into his chest.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Ezio Auditore pulled the hood of his Assassin robes down further over his face, glancing around, constantly on the lookout for citizens in need of help. While he had originally thought it a good idea, it seemed the city guards were wising up to what was happening, and took their abuse of citizens somewhere out of the way.

He stumbled as a girl with dirty blonde hair shoved past him, followed closely by five guards, who seemed intent on catching the girl. His brow furrowing slightly, Ezio turned toward the alley they had disappeared down and broke into a run. Using a stack of wood as a springboard, he jumped and grabbed hold of a window ledge, pulling himself up and jumping onto a scaffolding as he went. Now sprinting, he jumped and swung himself around the corner on a hanging vase, landing on a balcony. Swiftly making his way across, he jumped to the roof of the next building before dropping onto a ledge, surveying the scene.

The girl who had shoved past him was standing in front of a guard, who was lying in a ever-increasing pool of blood, sword held up in an awkward defensive stance. Another guard was stumbling back, a small knife protruding from his chest. He reached around his back and drew his crossbow, loading a bolt as he continued to observe the girl. She didn't look much older than sixteen, but he had to admit, she certainly seemed to know how to handle a weapon.

His stomach clenched unpleasantly as he watched the girl be thrown to the ground. Raising his crossbow, he took aim at the guard closest to her. He could see his mouth moving, but was unable to hear what he was saying.

The man raised his sword. Ezio took a calming breath, steadied the cross bow, and squeezed the trigger. The man stumbled back as the bolt slammed into his chest. He stared dumbly down at the bolt sticking out from his chest before dropping to his knees and keeling over. The girl scrambled backward, clambering back to her feet as the final guard stared at his companion's body.

"Where are you?" he shouted, spinning on the spot, brandishing his sword. "Show yourself!"

The girl seemed rooted to the spot, transfixed. Ezio replaced the cross bow on his back and dropped to the stones below, landing with a solid _thud_. The guard span around at the noise. His eyes widened comically as he took in Ezio.

"Y-you!" he spluttered. The girl was looking at Ezio with a mixture of curiosity and fear. He paid her no mind for the moment, walking toward the guard.

"Having a little fun, are we?" Ezio asked, his eyes raking over the bodies littering the ground. The guard tried to take a step back, but stumbled as his foot caught on the arm of one of the dead guards.

"Get away from me!"

Ezio paused, smiling slightly.

"Why, of course." He came to a halt next to the girl, raised his arm and fired his pistol. The bang of the shot reverberated around the narrow streets. In the distance, a dog barked. The guard collapsed, blood seeping from a hole in his uniform. Ezio lowered his arm and looked at the girl.

"What is your name, child?"

"Antonia. Antonia Messina."

"Ezio Auditore, at you service."

He extended his hand, which Antonia clasped briefly.

"Where are your parents?" Ezio asked, looking around, checking for more guards.

"I don't have any." Antonia mumbled.

"I'm sorry." Ezio said, turning his gaze back to Antonia. His eyes dropped to her arm, still bleeding from her earlier wound. "Here, let me help you."

She shrank back as Ezio reached out, grasping her arm gently. Tearing the fabric away from around the cut, he examined it briefly before reaching into a pocket, pulling out a length of cloth.

"Hold still." he commanded as he began wrapping the cloth around her arm. Antonia did as instructed, casting her eyes over his impressive array of weaponry.

"There." he said, tying off the end of the cloth, tugging slightly to check it was secure. "You should see a doctor, I've only managed to staunch the bleeding."

"I don't have any money for a doctor..." Antonia tried to argue. Ezio smiled.

"No? So why was your pocket clinking as you ran past me just now?"

Antonia's eyes widened.

"I – I mean, you - "

Ezio laughed slightly.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to turn you over to the guards." He considered for a moment. The girl had certainly shown herself to be gutsy and brave in the face of danger. She would make a fine assassin one day; he was sure of it.

"Listen," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder and guiding her out of the alley, leaving the bodies behind. "do you know of Tiber Island?" Antonia nodded. "I have a... home, there, so to speak. Once you have seen a doctor, meet me by the blacksmith. I have a proposition for you."

"Hey! You!"

Antonia's head whipped round at the shout. A guard sporting an impressive-looking longsword had seemingly recognised Ezio and was making his way toward him. Ezio seemed completely unfazed by this, though. Raising his hand, he clenched his fist. An arrow buzzed through the air, striking the guard in the chest. He fell back amid gasps of surprise and shock from the assembled crowds. Ezio ignored this and continued on, leaving the crowd to fuss over the downed guard.

They continued walking in silence, every now and then turning down a side street or doubling back. Eventually, they reached a doctor's station.

"How may I help you, sir?" the doctor asked, looking over Ezio and Antonia.

"My friend here has a rather bad cut on her arm. I have wrapped it, but I feel it should be looked at by a professional."

"A wise move, sir." He peeled back the cloth to examine the cut. "Ah, I see. I have just the thing here; give me a moment."

"I assume I can trust to leave her in your capable hands, doctor?" Ezio asked.

"Of course, of course." the doctor replied, still rummaging around in his cart. Ezio nodded and turned back to Antonia.

"Tiber Island, by the blacksmiths. I hope to see you soon."

Antonia opened her mouth to reply, but Ezio had already gone, mingling with the crowd. She tried to watch the man until he was out of sight, but she blinked, and he was gone.


End file.
